title: Effects of Pilates exercises on health-related quality of life in individuals with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of Pilates exercises on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in individuals with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, prospective, single-blind trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient clinic of pediatric rheumatology and the rehabilitation department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (N=50) with JIA according to the International League of Associations for Rheumatology criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomly assigned into 2 groups. In group I (n=25), the participants were given a conventional exercise program for 6 months. Patients in group II (n=25) participated in a Pilates exercise program for 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome measure was HRQOL, as measured by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0). The secondary outcome measures provided an estimate of the clinical relevance of the primary outcome results and included joint pain intensity (according to a 10-cm visual analog scale), disability (according to the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire), joint status (using the Pediatric Escola Paulista de Medicina Range of Motion Scale), and the total PedsQL 4.0 score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All participants completed the study. The scores of the PedsQL 4.0 differed significantly between groups, indicating that Pilates exercises increased these scores when compared with the conventional exercise program. Group II participants showed significant improvements in the 10-cm visual analog scale-joint pain, Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire, and Pediatric Escola Paulista de Medicina Range of Motion Scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of Pilates exercises had a positive physical and psychosocial impact on HRQOL in individuals with JIA. Future multicenter studies with a follow-up beyond the period of treatment using more objective parameters will be useful to support the results of the present study.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Department, Setor de Reumatologia Pediátrica do Departamento de Pediatria da Universidade Federal de São Paulo/Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: taniacore@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Tânia M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Mendonça
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Terreri
authors.forename: Carlos H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Morun Bernardino
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Rogério M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Jamil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Natour
authors.forename: Claudio A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Len
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D026241:Exercise Movement Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016037:Single-Blind Method
keywords: Arthritis; CHAQ; CI; Child; Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire; HRQOL; JIA; MCID; Pediatric Escola Paulista de Medicina Range of Motion Scale; Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 4.0; PedsQL 4.0; Physical education and training; RR; Rehabilitation; VAS; confidence interval; health-related quality of life; juvenile idiopathic arthritis; minimal clinically important difference; pEPM-ROM; relative risk; visual analog scale